Bizstartup.ie - NewsAvoiding commute a benefit of home working

Although in Ireland the average commute length is 24.9 minutes, a disheartening 19pc of commuters travels more than an hour to and from their place of work.

“As traffic congestion in cities, particularly in developing nations, increases, it is disappointing to see that too many workers are still jamming the roads in the rush hour when they could be spending their time more enjoyably or more productively elsewhere,” said Michael Barth, regional manager, Northern Europe, Regus.

“To tackle the damaging effects of commuting on staff health and morale, savvy businesses are introducing more flexibility in their working practices and are seeking workplace solutions that allow their staff to work closer to home. Remote working and flexi-time can provide a much needed break in the weekly commuting routine and also translate into office space and maintenance savings.”

Potential downsides of commuting

Medical research indicates that commuting-induced stress can be responsible for raised blood pressure, musculoskeletal disorders, increased hostility and adverse effects on cognitive performance.

Further pain commuters are forced to face is in the cost of travel. While on average 7pc of commuters globally spend 10pc or more of their salary on commuting, in Ireland the average spend for commuting is 3pc of yearly salary. Nevertheless, 1pc of respondents spend 10pc or over of their yearly take-home salary to fund their commute while 14pc spend between 5-10pc.

Photo: Michael Barth of Regus